The Meaning of Jeremiah 32:3 Explained

Jeremiah 32:3

KJV: For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;

YLT: Where Zedekiah king of Judah hath shut him up, saying, 'Wherefore art thou prophesying, saying, Thus said Jehovah, Lo, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he hath captured it;

Darby: For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Why dost thou prophesy and say, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;

ASV: For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For Zedekiah  king  of Judah  had shut him up,  saying,  Wherefore dost thou prophesy,  and say,  Thus saith  the LORD,  Behold, I will give  this city  into the hand  of the king  of Babylon,  and he shall take  it; 

What does Jeremiah 32:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Jeremiah 32:1-44 - Shepherds That Mislead God's Flock
It is God's purpose to care for His people through shepherds (pastors) who are responsible to Him. Jesus our Lord is the Branch into which we may be grafted. He is our King who saves us and clothes us with His own spotless righteousness. God finds us in Him, Philippians 3:9. Because He reigns, we are saved and dwell in safety. When we are brought into contact with false shepherds, whether the failure be in doctrine or example, let us ask for the broken heart of Jeremiah 23:9.
God is everywhere present; as the latter paragraph indicates, He is near at hand to overhear the blasphemy of those who deride religion, and to be a very present help in time of trouble. If He fills heaven and earth, can He not fill thy heart? If His Word is like fire, let it cleanse thee! If it is as a hammer, let it pulverize thy pride! Let those of us who essay to teach and preach, not steal our words from our neighbors, or utter our own, but receive them from the source of all truth. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 32

1  Jeremiah, being imprisoned by Zedekiah for his prophecy,
6  buys Hanameel's field
13  Baruch must preserve the evidences, as tokens of the people's return
16  Jeremiah in his prayer complains to God
26  God confirms the captivity for their sins;
36  and promises a gracious return

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 32:3 mean?

For had shut him up Zedekiah king of Judah saying why you do prophesy and say thus says Yahweh behold I will give - city this into the hand of the king of Babylon and he shall take it
אֲשֶׁ֣ר כְּלָא֔וֹ צִדְקִיָּ֥הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־ יְהוּדָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר מַדּוּעַ֩ אַתָּ֨ה נִבָּ֜א לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הִנְנִ֨י נֹתֵ֜ן אֶת־ הָעִ֥יר הַזֹּ֛את בְּיַ֥ד מֶֽלֶךְ־ בָּבֶ֖ל וּלְכָדָֽהּ

כְּלָא֔וֹ  had  shut  him  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּלָא 
Sense: to restrict, restrain, withhold, shut up, keep back, refrain, forbid.
צִדְקִיָּ֥הוּ  Zedekiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: צִדְקִיָּה 
Sense: the last king of Judah renamed from ‘Mattaniah’ by Nebuchadnezzar; son of Josiah by wife Hamutal; placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar when he carried his nephew Jehoiakim in captivity.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יְהוּדָ֖ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
לֵאמֹ֑ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מַדּוּעַ֩  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מַדּוּעַ  
Sense: why?, on what account?, wherefore?.
נִבָּ֜א  do  prophesy 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָבָא  
Sense: to prophesy.
לֵאמֹ֗ר  and  say 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
כֹּ֚ה  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הִנְנִ֨י  behold  I 
Parse: Interjection, first person common singular
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
נֹתֵ֜ן  will  give 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָעִ֥יר  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
הַזֹּ֛את  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
בְּיַ֥ד  into  the  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  of  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
בָּבֶ֖ל  of  Babylon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בָּבֶל  
Sense: Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates.
וּלְכָדָֽהּ  and  he  shall  take  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: לָכַד  
Sense: to capture, take, seize.